Begonia plant named Appleblossom

ABSTRACT

A new begonia plant cultivar named Appleblossom with fully double, pale pink flowers, bright green leaves with no red pigmentation in the leaf margins, vigorous growth habit with good self-branching; and floriferous habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofbegonia plant, botanically known as hiemalis Begonia, Fotsch, and knownby the cultivar name Appleblossom.

The new cultivar was discovered by us as a mutation of Hilda (U.S. PlantPat. No. 5,532) and observed in a group of 15 cm flowering plants of theparent cultivar. The new cultivar was initially identified as 87-7003.

Axexual reproduction of the new cultivar by stem and/or leaf cuttings byus in Ashtabula, Ohio, has reproduced the unique features of the newcultivar through successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish Appleblossom from its parentand other begonias commercially known and used in the floricultureindustry. In describing the characteristics, reference has been made toother cultivars, including Elfe (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,125), Barbara(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,179), Aphrodite Pink (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,318),Hilda, Heirloom, not patented, and Guinevere (patent applicationpending).

1. Appleblossom has pale pink flowers which are much lighter in pinkcolor than Elfe, Barbara, Aphrodite Pink, Heirloom and Guinevere. Hilda,of which Appleblossom is a mutation, is crimson in color.

2. Flower size of Appleblossom is larger than Elfe and Heirloom; similarin size to Hilda and Aphrodite Pink; and smaller than Barbara andGuinevere.

3. Appleblossom is more double-flowered than the single-floweredHeirloom and the double-flowered Elfe, Barbara and Aphrodite Pink. It issimilar in doubleness to Hilda and less double than Guinevere.

4. Plant size and shape of Appleblossom is the same as Hilda and similarto Barbara and Guinevere. Aphrodite Pink is more trailing thanAppleblossom and Elfe is more compact whereas Heirloom is a tallergrower.

5. Appleblossom has no red pigmentation in the leaf margins whereasHeirloom and Aphrodite Pink have a trace in the margin. Barbara, Hilda,Guinevere, and Elfe have large amounts of red pigment in the leafmargins.

6. The underside of mature and young leaves of Appleblossom and Heirloomhave no red pigmentation; Barbara has a trace of red pigmentation andHilda, Aphrodite Pink, Guinevere and Elfe are very red in color.

7. Appleblossom has bright green leaves whereas Heirloom, Barbara andAphrodite Pink are slightly darker green. Elfe, Hilda, and Guineverehave very dark green leaves.

8. Appleblossom has no red pigmentation in the stems, nodes, petiolesand peduncles whereas the comparison cultivars all have redpigmentation. Hilda has the most red pigmentation.

9. Appleblossom has overlapping lower leaf lobes similar to Hilda,Heirloom and Guinevere. Barbara, Elfe and Aphrodite Pink have openlobes.

10. Appleblossom is early flowering and will flower under long dayconditions.

11. The bright green leaves of Appleblossom provide an attractivebackground to set off the distinctive pale pink flowers.

12. There are no female flowers parts or pollen in the full doubleflowers of Appoeblossom.

13. The leaf and plant size of Appleblossom are balanced.

14. Appleblossom propagates readily from stem and leaf cuttings andbreaks well from a pinch.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates in perspective view theoverall appearance of Appleblossom, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new begonia cultivar basedon plants produced under commercial practices in Ashtabula, Ohio, undergreenhouse conditions. The photograph was taken in March, 1988, andcolor references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

Parentage:

Mutation from the cultivar Hilda and identified as 87-7003.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.--Leaf.

(B) Time to root.--days at 21° C. summer; 24 days at 21° C. winter.

(C) Rooting habit.--Fibrous, fine, abundant.

(D) Stem cuttings can also be employed.--Stem cuttings 2-3 cm long willroot in 16 days at 21° C. in summer and 18 days in 21° C. in winter;roots are abundant, fine and fibrous.

(E) Time for shoot development.--10 weeks in summer to 13 weeks inwinter to obtain shoots 4 to 5 cm long.

Plant description:

(A) Form.--Upright, good self-branching, stems are strong forself-support; compact, short internodes; suitable for 10 to 15 cm potproduction and 25 cm hanging baskets.

(B) Habit of growth.--Vigorous, dense habit without opening betweenleaves, good basal branching; usually vegetative shoots are formed atthe basal nodes and flower shoots at the higher nodes.

(C) Foliage.--Leaves simple; alternate, borne on strong petioles 6 mm indiameter on mature leaves. (1) Size: can vary greatly with leaf positionon plant and number of shoots per plant; environment can also affectleaf size; 9 to cm across and 12 to 13 cm long when mature. (2) Shape:Ovate with lobes overlapping on mature leaves. (3) Texture: Glabrous,leathery. (4) Margin: Serrated. (5) Color: Young foliage, top side near137A; Young foliage, under side near 137C; Mature foliage, top side near147A; Mature foliage, under side near 146A. (6) Venation: Palmate, 7 to8 major veins.

Flowering description:

(A) Flowering habits.--Flowering in racemes with an average of 4 to 6flowers per raceme, with many racemes in bloom at one time. Floweringcontinues more or less indefinitely.

(B) Natural flowering season.--Will flower year around withoutcontrolling day length. Plants will flower earlier and more abundantlyif subjected to a reduced day length of 12 hours for 3 weeks whendaylengths are longer than 12 hours.

(C) Flower bud.--15 mm long and 20 mm wide just before opening. Tepalsare entire around margins. Color near 157A just before opening undersummer conditions. Near 36A with tinge of green when immature.

(D) Flowers borne.--On strong upright peduncles that are greenish whitein color and 4-5 mm in diameter.

(E) Quantity.--Average of 5 flowers per peduncle. Flowers open insequence as the raceme develops. Total number of flowers will vary withnumber of flowering shoots per plant.

(F) Tepals.--(1) Shape: Outer -- almost rounded; Inner -- more heartshaped. (2) Color top side in summer when opening: near 38C, fading tonear 56B to 56C; underside near 56B. (3) Number of tepals: 30 or more.(4) Size of tepals: Outer -- 22 mm wide and 21 mm long; Inner -- 10 mmwide and 15 mm long. (5) Flower size: 5 cm in diameter, however,environment can affect size.

G. Reproductive organs.--(1) Stamens: None, as plant is full double withanthers appearing as petals. (2) Pistils: None observed to date.

Disease resistance:

Appleblossom has shown resistance to powdery mildew.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of begonia plant named Appleblossom, as illustrated and described. 